By Paul Fitzpatrick
The Dubs are back in the 40x20 All-Ireland Senior Doubles final but, according to Eoin Kennedy, they are under no pressure at all.
Kennedy and Carl Browne's exploits in the 60x30 alley over the past 12 months have transferred over and has helped their partnership grow in the smaller court, he says.
“Going into this 40x20 season, we're a good bit tighter and Carl, to be fair to him, is really fit at the moment. He's playing well,” stated the St Brigid's man.
“We're going to be up against it at the weekend, the lads have won 10, they know how to win.
But saying that, they've been beaten in finals before, myself and Egin beat them and Dessie and Joe beat them so you never know. If we go in and perform, we won't be easily beaten anyway.”
Is a slugfest, rather than an early knock-out, likely on Saturday? Eoin is not sure.
“You never know, that's the great thing about sport. If you thought about Leicester at the start of the season,you never would've thought they'd be at the top of the Premier League.
“This Saturday, it could be a very tight game, you just don't know. But one thing is for sure, we'll be going in to give it everything. We have nothing to lose in this game, they're the favourites and they'll have been disappointed after last year and I'm sure they'll be coming out with all guns blazing.”
Reaching the final hasn't come as a surprise to Kennedy. After an excellent run of success in the 60x30 court, he felt they had the tools to put a run together this Spring.
“We were cautiously optimistic at the start. Really, after the big alley last year we would've been kind of thinking more about the big alley again this year while giving the 40x20 our best shot at the same time.
“And it's worked out for us I suppose, we're after getting to the final now and we've nothing to lose.
It's good to be back in a 40x20 final again.
“We won the big alley Nationals the year before but [last year's All-Ireland 60x30 SD] was our first big win and it definitely gives you a bit of confidence. That was Carl's first senior final so to win it was a great experience and gives him confidence too.
“They're hot favourites but it's a nice thing going into a final as an underdog, it's always a different feeling when you're the one expected to win, it's a different type of pressure.”
The semi-final against Mayo's Vinny Moran and Joe McCann saw Dublin weather an early storm, drop a game but come back to relatively easily win in three.
“Vinny and Joe started unbelievably fast, Vinny was killing crazy balls from everywhere. We were a little bit off the pace and we were miles behind and played our way back in but after the second game we felt comfortable.
“At the end of the day, we just wanted to get out with a win. I never worry to be honest. If you win 21-20 in the third or 21-0, 21-0, it makes no difference, at the end of the day winning or losing is all that matters,” says Kennedy.
A noticeable factor this Saturday will be the unusually-high age profile of the finalists. There will be no player under the age of 36 in the court, possibly unprecedented in senior doubles finals, but Eoin feels it's not indicative of a wider trend.
“I wouldn't say I'm worried. You have players like Diarmaid Nash and Killian Carroll, unfortunately neither of them played the 40x20 this year but they are really top-class players, genuinely fantastic, and obviously Martin Mulkerrins as well is extremely strong. Plus a whole lot of other lads I could mention.
“They possibly aren't as proficient yet as the doubles game or maybe haven't focused as much on it. You need a strong partner obviously. Then again, there's no shame in not making the final.
“You're talking about Paul Brady, one of the best players of all time, Michael Finnegan, one of the best doubles players of all time, they could probably still be in the final in five years' time.”
Kennedy has been there and done it all before, of course. Approaching the home stretch of a glittering career in which he won every honour in the Irish game, as well as the world Open Doubles titles twice, he knows what it takes to win on the big stage.
In doubles especially, Kennedy has always been dominant – with various partners.
“I played with Pat Hall at the start, we got to a couple of semi-finals. I've been very lucky. When Egin [Jensen] came over to Dublin he was 40 and we won a 40x20 senior and a big alley senior in our first year. We had a lot of success, we won our last senior when he was 45. It was fantastic, really.
“With Carl coming over, we've had quite a bit of success over the past year or so – I've been very lucky in that regard. Egin is one of the all-time great right-hand players in my view and Carl is really, really playing well.
“Obviously he would have been a natural singles player and would have played a lot on the left growing up, he was a very strong player, but he's taken to the right and he's learned a lot in the last year or so about how to play it.
“I know myself having played a bit of right side doubles here abnd there how hard it is to adjust.”
As for Saturday, Kennedy hints that it's bonus territory – but the warrior spirit doesn't lurk far under the surface.
“I've nothing to lose, I don't feel like I've anything to prove any more, I've won plenty over the years.If I win or if I don't win, it doesn't really change a whole lot for me.
“But any time I go into the court, I play 100pc to win.”
